1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to apparatus for handling pipe, and more particularly to an apparatus that can lower or raise non-cured concrete pipe from its vertical position as it is first removed from a forming machine to a horizontal position for storage and curing.
2. Prior Art
In most cases, concrete pipe is formed in a vertical position. When it is first removed from the forming machine, it is quite fragile and must be moved to a storage area so that it may "cure" or harden. Because of the large size, bulkiness, weight and fragility of the "green" or non-cured concrete pipe, movement to a "curing" area creates a severe problem if the pipe is not to be chipped or crushed.
Present techniques for moving the green pipe utilize a tractor device having fingers which grab and squeeze the pipe before lifting. However, this results in many broken pipes because the squeezing action many times crushes the fragile and brittle pipe. Other techniques used include tipping the green pipe by hand to a horizontal position and then rolling it to the curing area. This technique is also undesirable because it is slow, requires a great deal of manpower, results in injuries to personnel and many times results in cracks and chips in the lip or shoulder section of the pipe.